Ore Oduba: My best six albums, R.E.M, U2, Lady Gaga and more

ORE ODUBA, 32, is the BBC sports news presenter who won Strictly Come Dancing last year. He hosts a series of choral Christmas concerts with the CBSO at the Symphony Hall Birmingham on December 19-21. He is also standing in for Claudia Winkleman on Radio 2 on Sunday evenings until Christmas.

Apart from the radio, my musical influence was always from my older sister.Whenever she came back from boarding school, this album seemed to be the only one playing and I absorbed it. When the first bars from Drive come in, it takes me back to a simple time. It’s almost orchestral at times and lyrically powerful.

U2: The Best Of 1980-1990 (Island)

I inherited this from a good friend at school who had one of the first iPods. I listened to it from start to finish. It was the first time I’d come across U2’s old stuff. I get tingles when I hear Pride. There is real power to their songs.

I briefly sang in a band at school and we did Bon Jovi covers. I also sang Wanted Dead Or Alive in a completely spontaneous karaoke moment at my wedding. It’s one of my favourite songs.

CHRISTINA AGUILERA: Stripped (Sony)

This came out in 2002 when I first started dating girls. One particular date played this album and I loved it. There was power in the love songs and the vocal rips through you. My teenage years were not so successful when it came to girls and this album was my bible of unrequited love.

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U2 released their album The Best Of 1980-1990 in 1998

Rock Bands: Then and Now

Thu, December 8, 2016

Express Pictures takes a look back at the rock and heavy metal bands that made history with their music, and where they are today.

I stumbled on this on a plane when I was looking for jazz albums and in the mood for a female voice. I was blown away. It’s uplifting, it’s swing and jazz but soulful as well.

TONY BENNETT AND LADY GAGA: Cheek To Cheek (Polydor)

This encapsulates my post-Strictly world. They’ve restored these classics and I feel I’m on stage with them. You can dance to it and the music is timeless. I’ve inherited my dance partner Joanne’s love of musical theatre’s golden era. We would talk about it in rehearsal and sing together.